Carrier

ABSTRACT

A carrier ( 10 ) of the backpack type is provided for use by motorcyclists to carry their travel requirements and a motor cycle helmet ( 26 ) when on or off the motorcycle. The carrier ( 10 ) has a bag ( 11 ) of flexible textile material with adjustable shoulder straps ( 12 ), waist strap ( 16 ) and chest strap ( 13 ). The bag ( 11 ) has a main compartment ( 22 ) and a lower compartment ( 25 ) adapted to receive the helmet ( 26 ) inside it so that the carrier ( 10 ) can be freestanding when placed on the ground. The lower compartment ( 25 ) folds and is contained by a securing panel ( 28 ) to the base of the main compartment ( 22 ) when no helmet ( 26 ) is in the lower compartment ( 25 ).

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application is a continuation of copending International Application No. PCT/GB02/04670 filed Oct. 16, 2002 which designates the United States, and claims priority to Great Britain application no. 0125623.9 filed Oct. 25, 2001.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates to carriers, and in particular to carriers to be worn on the back of a person. Such carriers are often known as backpacks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Backpacks generally consist of a bag and straps that are intended to pass from the top of the bag, over the shoulders of the wearer and under their arms to the lower part of the bag. The bags are of a flexible textile material, and are usually provided with a drawstring closure and covering flap to inhibit the ingress of rain to the bag. Such backpacks may also be provided with pockets or compartments for specific items to be carried, such as maps, or with straps for attaching articles to the outside of the bag. Motorcyclists often carry personal requirements for a journey in such backpacks. They also often carry a spare helmet, or their own helmet when not in use, in a bag specifically designed as a helmet carrier. Such a helmet carrier usually takes the form of a bag with a drawstring closure and a carrying handle. However, walking around with both a backpack and a helmet carrier, or riding with a backpack and a spare helmet, is at least inconvenient and, in the latter case, at worst dangerous. If the backpack has external straps, it may be possible to strap the helmet to the backpack so that the backpack and helmet can be carried as one. However, this does not prevent damage to the helmet if the backpack and helmet are put down, possibly propped against a wall or some other object, and the assembly falls over. Consequently, known backpacks and helmet carriers do not need the needs of motorcyclists when riding with a spare helmet or when not on the motor bicycle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,771 discloses a backpack having a main compartment and a lower compartment, the lower compartment being of various sizes to accommodate unspecified articles. Whilst the upright backpack may be stable standing on a flat surface when a rigid flat bottomed article is contained in the lower compartment, the flexibility of the lower compartment will militate such stability when the lower compartment is empty.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide a carrier that overcomes the abovementioned disadvantages of the known carriers.

[0005] The invention provides a carrier comprising a bag having at least one shoulder strap extending from the top of the bag to the lower part thereof and intended to pass over a shoulder and under the arm of the wearer, the bag having a main compartment and a lower compartment disposed beneath the main compartment, the lower compartment being adapted to receive a motor cycle helmet therein, wherein the carrier also has a securing panel adapted to pass under the lower compartment.

[0006] The bag may be of a flexible textile material. Preferably the carrier has an access opening to the lower compartment separate from that providing access to the main compartment. The access opening to the main compartment may be provided with a main sliding fastener. The bag may have a flap adapted to cover the main sliding fastener. The access opening to the lower compartment may be provided with a drawstring. The securing panel may comprise a base portion and a securing strap portion. The base portion may be secured to the base of the main compartment at the rear thereof, and there may be a connecting device at the free end of the securing strap portion adapted to be releasably connected to the base of the main compartment at the front thereof. The releasable connection may comprise a securing buckle. The base portion and the base of the main compartment may have a sliding fastener around the peripheries thereof adapted to secure the base portion in underlying relationship with the base of the main compartment, with the lower compartment and the securing strap portion contained therebetween, when no helmet is contained in the lower compartment.

[0007] The carrier may have two shoulder straps extending from the top of the bag to the lower part thereof and intended to pass over the shoulders and under the arms of the wearer. The straps may be adjustable in length. The carrier may have a waist strap adapted to pass around the waist of the wearer. The waist strap may comprise two waist strap parts, each having one end thereof secured to the bag and having one of a pair of co-operating buckle parts at the free end thereof. At least one part of the waist strap may be adjustable in length. The carrier may also have a chest strap adapted to pass around the chest of the wearer. The chest strap may comprise two chest strap parts, each having one end thereof secured to a respective shoulder strap and having one of a pair of co-operating buckle parts at the free end thereof. At least one part of the chest strap may be adjustable in length. The carrier may also have a carrying handle secured to the top of the bag.

[0008] The carrier may have at least one pocket secured to the bag, and may have a front pocket and a pair of side pockets. Each pocket may be provided with a sliding fastener. Each pocket may have a flap adapted to cover the sliding fastener.

[0009] The invention also provides in combination, a carrier and a motor cycle helmet, the carrier comprising a bag having at least one shoulder strap extending from the top of the bag to the lower part thereof and intended to pass over a shoulder and under the arm of the wearer, the bag having a main compartment and a lower compartment disposed beneath the main compartment, the lower compartment being adapted to receive a motor cycle helmet therein, wherein the carrier also has a securing panel adapted to pass under the lower compartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0010] The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carrier with a helmet within the lower compartment, and

[0012]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the carrier of FIG. 1 with the helmet removed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a carrier 10 of the backpack type. The carrier 10 has a bag 11 with shoulder straps 12 intended to pass over the shoulders and under the arms of the wearer in conventional backpack manner. To prevent the shoulder straps 12 from slipping off the wearer's shoulders, a chest strap 13 is connected across the shoulder straps 12. The shoulder straps 12 and chest strap 13 are adjustable for length, and the chest strap 13 is formed in two parts that may be connected by a buckle 14. A carrying handle 15 spans the shoulder straps 12 adjacent the top of the bag 11. The bag 11 is also provided with a waist strap 16 formed in two parts that may be connected by a buckle 17. The waist strap 16 is also adjustable for length. A front pocket 18 and two side pockets 19 are provided on the bag 11. Sliding fasteners 20 close the pockets 18, 19 or allow access into them, and flaps 21 cover the sliding fasteners 20 to inhibit the ingress of rain water to the pockets 18, 19.

[0014] The bag 11 has a main compartment 22 with an access opening closed by a sliding fastener 23. A flap 24 covers the sliding fastener 23 to inhibit the ingress of rainwater to the main compartment 22. Beneath the main compartment 22 is a lower compartment 25, which is of a size just to receive a motorcycle helmet 26 (shown in dashed lines). Access to the lower compartment 25 is from below the carrier 10, and the lower compartment 25 is closed by a drawstring 27. The carrier 10 also has a securing panel 28, which passes under the lower compartment 25. The securing panel 28 is formed of a base portion 29 and a securing strap portion 30. The base portion 29 is secured to the base of the main compartment 22 at the its rear, and a securing buckle 31 is provided at the free end of the securing strap portion 30 to be releasably connected to the base of the main compartment 22 at the front thereof. The securing panel 28 ensures that the helmet 26 is carried by the carrier in a safe and secure manner.

[0015] With the helmet 26 contained in the lower compartment 25 in an upright disposition as shown in FIG. 1, the rigidity of the helmet 26 provides that the carrier 10 can be placed on the ground or other substantially level surface in a stable manner. Hence the risk of damage to the helmet 26, bag 11 or its contents due to the carrier falling or being knocked over is minimised. When the helmet 26 is not in use, it is conveniently carried as one with the bag 11, either by hand using the carrying handle 15 or on the back of the motor cyclist using the shoulder straps 12.

[0016] When the helmet 26 is in use, or no helmet 26 other than one being worn by the motor cyclist is being carried, the lower compartment 25 may be compressed and stored at the base of the main compartment 22, as shown in FIG. 2. To facilitate this, the flexible textile material of the lower compartment 25 is compressed and the securing strap portion 30 is folded with the compressed lower compartment 25. A sliding fastener 32 is provided to extend around the peripheries of the base portion 29 and the base of the main compartment 22 to secure the base portion 29 in underlying relationship with main compartment 22, with the compressed lower compartment 25 and the folded securing strap portion 30 contained therebetween. By means of the invention, a motor cycle helmet 26 may be conveniently carried whether the motor cyclist is on foot or riding a motor cycle. The helmet 26 may be placed in the carrier 10 or removed therefrom without disturbing the contents of the main compartment 22. When riding, the helmet 26 is carried in a safe and aerodynamically efficient manner. 

We claim:
 1. A carrier comprising: a bag having at least one shoulder strap extending from the top of the bag to the lower part thereof and intended to pass over a shoulder and under the arm of the wearer, the bag comprising a main compartment and a lower compartment disposed beneath the main compartment, the lower compartment being adapted to receive a motor cycle helmet therein, wherein the carrier also has a securing panel adapted to pass under the lower compartment.
 2. The carrier according to claim 1, wherein the bag is of a flexible textile material.
 3. The carrier according to claim 1, wherein the carrier has an access opening to the lower compartment separate from an opening providing access to the main compartment.
 4. The carrier according to claim 3, wherein the access opening to the main compartment is provided with a main sliding fastener.
 5. The carrier according to claim 4, wherein the bag has a flap adapted to cover the main sliding fastener.
 6. The carrier according to claim 3, wherein the access opening to the lower compartment is provided with a drawstring.
 7. The carrier according to claim 1, wherein the securing panel comprises a base portion and a securing strap portion.
 8. The carrier according to claim 7, wherein the base portion is secured to the base of the main compartment at the rear thereof.
 9. The carrier according to claim 8, wherein there is a connecting device at a free end of the securing strap portion adapted to be releasably connected to the base of the main compartment at the front thereof.
 10. The carrier according to claim 9, wherein the releasable connecting device comprises a securing buckle.
 11. The carrier according to claim 8, wherein the base portion and the base of the main compartment have a sliding fastener around the peripheries thereof adapted to secure the base portion in underlying relationship with the base of the main compartment, with the lower compartment and the securing strap portion contained therebetween, when no helmet is contained in the lower compartment.
 12. The carrier according to claim 1, having two shoulder straps extending from the top of the bag to the lower part thereof and intended to pass over the shoulders and under the arms of the wearer.
 13. The carrier according to claim 12, wherein the shoulder straps are adjustable in length.
 14. The carrier according to claim 12, wherein the carrier has a waist strap adapted to pass around the waist of the wearer.
 15. The carrier according to claim 14, wherein the waist strap comprises two waist strap parts, each having one end thereof secured to the bag and having one of a pair of co-operating buckle parts at the free end thereof.
 16. The carrier according to claim 15, wherein at least one part of the waist strap is adjustable in length.
 17. The carrier according to claim 12, wherein the carrier has a chest strap adapted to pass around the chest of the wearer.
 18. The carrier according to claim 17, wherein the chest strap comprises two chest strap parts, each having one end thereof secured to a respective shoulder strap and having one of a pair of co-operating buckle parts at a free end thereof.
 19. The carrier according to claim 18, wherein at least one part of the chest strap is adjustable in length.
 20. The carrier according to claim 1, wherein the carrier has a carrying handle secured to the top of the bag.
 21. The carrier according to claim 1, wherein the carrier has at least one pocket secured to the bag.
 22. The carrier according to claim 21, wherein the carrier has a front pocket and a pair of side pockets.
 23. The carrier according to claim 22, wherein each pocket is provided with a sliding fastener.
 24. The carrier according to claim 23, wherein each pocket has a flap adapted to cover the sliding fastener.
 25. In combination: a carrier and a motor cycle helmet, the carrier comprising a bag having at least one shoulder strap extending from the top of the bag to the lower part thereof and intended to pass over a shoulder and under the arm of the wearer, the bag having a main compartment and a lower compartment disposed beneath the main compartment, the lower compartment in which the motor cycle helmet is received, wherein the carrier also has a securing panel adapted to pass under the lower compartment. 